PM has ‘decided’ date of war with China, Pak: UP BJP president

In a controversial remark, BJP’s Uttar Pradesh chief Swatantra Dev Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided when the country would be at war with Pakistan and China. His remarks on Friday came amid tension at the Line of Actual Control between India and China, where the two countries have massed troops.

The BJP leader linked his claim to the beginning of construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya following a Supreme Court judgment, and the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. “Like the decisions on Ram Mandir and Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided when there would be war with Pakistan and China,” he is heard saying in a video clip on social media.

"Sambandhit tithi tai hai," he said in Hindi, claiming that a decision has been taken on the date. Singh was speaking at an event at the home of BJP MLA Sanjay Yadav, who released the video.

In his address, Singh compared Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party workers with “terrorists”. When asked about the remarks, local MP Ravindra Kushwaha said the the UP BJP president made them to boost the morale of party workers.

Swatantra Dev Singh’s reported remarks appear to deviate from India’s stated stand. On Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated that India wanted an end to the border tension with China while asserting that it will not allow “even an inch” of land to be taken away by anyone.